Movistar’s Colombian rider Nairo Quintana took the overall lead at the Volta a Catalunya today ©Getty Images

Movistar’s Colombian rider Nairo Quintana took the overall lead at the Volta a Catalunya after finishing runner-up to Belgium’s Thomas De Gendt of the Lotto-Soudal team in today’s Queen Stage.

The 172 kilometres stage from Bagà to Port Ainé saw Quintana cross the line 68 seconds behind De Gendt, who clocked a time of 4 hours 52min 04sec for his first victory since winning a stage in the same race in 2013.

He now leads Spain’s Alberto Contador of Tinkoff by eight seconds overall in this International Cycling Union WorldTour event, with BMC Racing Team’s Australian rider Richie Porte 17 seconds off the pace in third.

Defending champion Porte edged two-time Tour de France winner Contador to complete the fourth stage podium.

Ireland’s Dan Martin, the overnight leader and stage three winner, dropped to fourth in the overall standings after coming 10th.

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Belgium's Thomas De Gendt won stage four of the Volta a Catalunya ©Getty Images

The Etixx-QuickStep team rider had started the day with a narrow six-second advantage and suffered from a combination of attacks in the closing kilometres.

Team Sky leader Chris Froome finished in eighth spot at the same time as Martin and ninth-placed Frenchman Romain Bardet, the Ag2r La Mondiale competitor.

Froome, last year’s Tour de France winner, now sits in eighth place overall - one ahead of fellow Briton Hugh Carthy, who has performed well on the race’s mountain stages for Caja Rural.

Tomorrow’s fifth stage from Rialp to Valls is due to include the second-category climb and descent of Alt de Lilla within the final 10km.

The Volta a Catalunya is scheduled to conclude on Sunday (March 27).